Each tooth has five surfaces, each one vulnerable to tooth decay. A cavity starts when acids remove minerals from a tooth’s enamel. If this demineralized area progresses, the hole becomes more extensive and requires dental treatment. Eventually, a cavity can cause mild to severe pain and create concern that the tooth may require removal. Read below to find out if a cavity hurts is it too late for treatment.
Trident Dental focuses on prevention and comprehensive dental services, including restorative dentistry. If you have pain from a cavity, call and schedule an appointment for a complete evaluation and treatment.
Do All Cavities Need A Filling?
Tooth decay progresses very slowly and, if detected early, may not require a dental filling. The process can be reversed if your dentist diagnoses demineralized enamel before a hole forms. Depending on the location of the problem, you might receive fluoride treatments or a dental sealant to prevent cavity progression.
Why Do Some Cavities Hurt?
Other than possibly causing mild air and temperature sensitivity, small cavities typically do not cause any symptoms. However, you can experience more severe sensitivity once a hole progresses into the enamel. The reason for this is that the dentin beneath the enamel is more sensitive and closer to the nerve of the tooth.
Large cavities destroy more tooth structure and can cause inflammation of the dental pulp or nerve of the tooth. This can cause a throbbing toothache that may occur spontaneously at any time, including while you sleep. Without treatment, the cavity can enter the deepest part of your tooth and cause a dental infection or abscess.
If a Cavity Hurts is it too Late?
Any symptom or sign of pain is an indication that you should visit your dentist as soon as possible. If you have mild symptoms such as cold sensitivity when you drink something cold, your tooth can likely be saved with a dental restoration. Symptoms of a more severe cavity include:
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Lingering pain after eating or drinking hot or cold foods and beverages.
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Spontaneous, unprovoked pain.
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Pain when you chew on your tooth.
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Swelling in your gums.
Fortunately, even most teeth with severe symptoms can be saved. It might, however, require more extensive dental treatments.
Treatments To Save A Tooth
Treatment is dependent on how extensive your cavity is. Small cavities can typically be treated with a dental filling. Dental fillings are made from materials such as amalgam, composite, or porcelain. The advanced materials used for filling today provide superior esthetics and restoration of normal function.
More severe cavities may require one or more of the following treatments:
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Dental crowns made of metal alloy, porcelain, ceramic, or resin.
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Veneers that restore minor cavities in the enamel of several front teeth.
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Root canal therapy to treat dental infections. Typically, teeth need a dental crown after a root canal treatment.
Schedule Appointment
Contact us at Trident Dental if you have pain or other symptoms in your teeth or gums. To help prevent cavities, we recommend regular dental examinations and professional teeth cleanings.